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Robotics Movies Toys

Famous Robot from 1956 Movie Auctioned For $5.3 Million (newatlas.com) 64

Posted by EditorDavid from the bidding-on-bots dept.
schwit1 tells us that "Robby the Robot" -- a prop from the 1956 movie Forbidden Planet -- has just been auctioned for $5.3 million, making it the second most-expensive movie prop in history. New Atlas reports: The complete Robby suit, control panel, his jeep, numerous spares, alternate original "claw" hands, and the original wooden stage shipping crates, were sold Tuesday by Bonhams in New York for US $5,375,000 including buyers premium. The only purpose-built movie prop to have ever sold for more is Marilyn Monroe's "subway dress" from The Seven Year Itch (1955) which was sold by Profiles in History for $5,520,000 (including buyers premium) in 2011.
After Forbidden Planet, Robby the Robot reappeared in a movie called The Invisible Boy, and later had a climactic showdown with the robot from Lost in Space. He also made appearances on other TV shows, including The Twilight Zone, Mork & Mindy, and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. And he even appeared in commercials, including one warning about the dangers of depleting the ozone layer -- plus a commercial for Charmin bathroom tissue.
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Famous Robot from 1956 Movie Auctioned For $5.3 Million More

Famous Robot from 1956 Movie Auctioned For $5.3 Million

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  • Forbidden Planet (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Starring Leslie Nielsen [wikipedia.org]!

  • It does not compute!

  • Columbo episode, "Mind Over Mayhem" (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Antique Geekmeister ( 740220 ) on Sunday November 26, 2017 @12:14PM (#55625167)

    It was a delight to see Robbie the Robot show, functioning, in a Columbo episode in 1974. I hope his new owners will maintain him and let him appear in other guest appearances.

  • Wanna bet somebody figures out how to make a DIY costume like that for under $500?
    • Forget cosplay. What we need are ROBOT COSTUME OLYMPICS! I want to see Robby Pole-vault!

    • If you try and build a reproduction of Robby the Robot that is seen publicly, expect a cease & desist letter from Fred Barton Productions, which has an exclusive license from Time-Warner. This is an occasional topic of discussion on the RPF (Replica Props Forum).

      Here is an excerpt from guidance providing supplied by Time-Warner with regards to making your own Robby:

      1. The manufacture, or transfer of: unauthorized reproductions of “ROBBY®”, or derivative works pertaining to “ROBBY®” is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED

      2. The manufacture, or transfer of: unauthorized component parts of “ROBBY®”, or derivative works pertaining to component parts of “ROBBY®” is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED.

      3. The exhibition of: unauthorized reproductions of “ROBBY®”, derivative works pertaining to “ROBBY®”, the component parts of “ROBBY®”, or derivative works pertaining to the component parts of “ROBBY®” is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED.

      4. The creation, or transfer in any form of any materials depicting: “ROBBY®”, derivative works pertaining to “ROBBY®”, the component parts of “ROBBY®”, or derivative works pertaining to the component parts of “ROBBY®”; for the purpose of promoting the production of unauthorized replicas of “ROBBY®” or the component parts of “ROBBY®” is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by mark-t ( 151149 )

        Good to know... so I guess we won't see any costume plans posted.

        I think it's unlikely that it would stop someone who didn't know about those guidelines from actually doing it on their own though... especially they had only made it for a SF convention they were planning to attend, unless Time-Werner somehow ensures that alerts are sent to every SF convention all over the world to let their volunteer workers to not allow people in such a costume into the con. Bearing in mind the unlikelihood that they wo

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by mark-t ( 151149 )

        I did a bit more reading up on the matter, and found out some interesting stuff.

        The language used in the terms you quoted is not legally enforceable except when either the person is profiting from making a Robby costume, or if they are otherwise engaging in any reproductions beyond making a single costume for their own personal use. A person who was wearing such a costume that they made for themselves would *NOT* be actioned against, simply because it is not worth anyone's time to try and go after ever

  • Thanks a lot for telling me that Robby the Robot was just a suit with a guy inside. Way to spoil my holiday weekend.

    • Re:My dreams turn to ashes (Score:4, Funny)

      by sheramil ( 921315 ) on Sunday November 26, 2017 @03:31PM (#55625909)

      Thanks a lot for telling me that Robby the Robot was just a suit with a guy inside. Way to spoil my holiday weekend.

      I hate to be the one to tell you this.. but.. you know all those robots you see in factories, welding car parts together?

      Yeah.

      • Yeah.

        Very insightful. In other words, it's the latest jobs program. The company gets to depreciate the "robots", and the unemplorables that can't mine coal are able to "work" the lines. It makes sense: we haven't had a really *good* jobs program since the TSA was created.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by shoor ( 33382 )

      I saw the movie as a kid when it first came out. I remember as soon as Robbie 'spoke' I recognized the voice as Marvin Miller who played Michael Anthony, personal secretary to John Beresford Tipton, on a TV show of the time called "The Millionaire". I really wished they'd used a less familiar voice for Robbie. But I loved that movie anyway.

      PS On the TV show you never saw John Beresford Tipton's face. He was a mysterious billionaire. But he was voiced by Paul Frees, who was the voice actor for many ca

    • That's not as scary as knowing that the robots in silent running had people inside.

  • He owns the Cocteau cinema which has a replica of Robby. Maybe he stumped up the cash for the original.

    https://www.tor.com/2013/08/13... [tor.com]

    https://www.ranker.com/list/ge... [ranker.com]

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Sir Peter Jackson is building up quite the classic movie prop collection as well... He has the original King Kong (1933) Willis O'Brien puppet armature. Wouldn't surprise me if Robbie got added to his.

  • Another stupid headline. (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Why "Famous Robot from 1956 Movie Auctioned For $5.3 Million"?

    Why not "Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet Auctioned For $5.3 Million"?

    I was born in 1982, and I've never seen Forbidden Planet, but I still know who the fuck Robby the Robot is.

    Do you think the slashdot audience are so stupid that they don't know who Robby the Robot is?
    Or is just that slashdot editors are so stupid that they don't know who Robby the Robot is?

    • Why "Famous Robot from 1956 Movie Auctioned For $5.3 Million"?

      Why not "Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet Auctioned For $5.3 Million"?

      I was born in 1982, and I've never seen Forbidden Planet, but I still know who the fuck Robby the Robot is.

      Do you think the slashdot audience are so stupid that they don't know who Robby the Robot is?
      Or is just that slashdot editors are so stupid that they don't know who Robby the Robot is?

      No, the headline was consciously used to filter out obnoxious twits. It was a good attempt, but failed, obviously.

  • A bargain at twice the price (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 26, 2017 @12:36PM (#55625261)

    When you have a robot that can produce unlimited bourbon why quibble over price?

  • I was going to Google wth a "buyers premium" is and then realized I'll never be rich enough for that knowledge to be useful.

  • The Seven Year Itch? (Score:3)

    by DontBeAMoran ( 4843879 ) on Sunday November 26, 2017 @01:06PM (#55625377)

    The only purpose-built movie prop to have ever sold for more is Marilyn Monroe's "subway dress" from The Seven Year Itch (1955) which was sold by Profiles in History for $5,520,000 (including buyers premium) in 2011.

    So... that was a movie about pon farr?

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